Battlefield Barrens: Zone Changes and Acquiring Kor'kron Items

Patch 5.3 introduces a new world event, Battlefield Barrens, that explores the conflict between the Alliance, Horde, and Garrosh. There's a ton of stuff to do and collect as part of this event--but it's only around for a limited amount of time.

Escorting Caravans

Different races escort the caravans depending on where they are headed to. For example, Astranaar sentinels escort the caravan going to Ashenvale, Northwatch dwarves escort the caravan going to Ratchet.

The longer you stay with a caravan, the more stacks of Caravan Escort you'll get, which stacks up to 10.

Upon successfully escorting a caravan, you will get Surplus Supplies which contains varying quantities of all four Kor'kron supplies.

When a caravan begins its trip, or is destroyed by the Kor'kron, there will be a zone-wide notification. However, it will not appear on your minimap unless you are close by.

Map

Routes

Alliance-only routes are blue, Horde-only routes are red, routes for both factions are green.

Alliance:

Dreadmist Peak > Mor'shan Rampart

Dry Hills > Mor'shan Rampart

Thorn Hill > Ratchet

Stagnant Oasis > Ratchet

Sludge Fen > Mor'shan Rampart

Wailing Caverns > West Road

Forgotten Pools > West Road

Horde:

Sludge Fen > Durotar

Southern Barrens > Crossroads

Ratchet > Crossroads

Dry Hills > West Road

Stagnant Oasis > Ratchet

Wailing Caverns > West Road

Grol'dom Farm > Far Watch Post

Northern Barrens

The Kor'kron has a greatly increased presence in Northern Barrens. The Kor'kron has marred the Northern Barrens with several encampments: a slaughterhouse, lumber camp, oil refinery, and elemental quarry.

With the addition of level 90 mobs in an otherwise low-level zone, there are some new zone drops:

Freeze-Dried Hyena Jerky: If you spend at least 10 seconds eating you will move more quickly while in the Northern Barrens for 1 hour.

Scorpion Crunchies: If you spend at least 10 seconds eating you will deal more damage while in the Northern Barrens for 1 hour.

K.R.E.: If you spend at least 10 seconds eating you will take less damage while in the Northern Barrens for 1 hour.

Durotar

The Darkspear Trolls, led by Vol'jin, have also declared open rebellion against Garrosh's regime. Sen'jin Village has many more troll guards and Razor Hill, once Escalation quests are completed, is taken over by the Darkspear.

In addition, trolls are held captive in cages, surrounded by the Kor'kron, right outside Orgrimmar.

Horde in Vale of Eternal Blossoms

Garrosh has started digging in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, marring a sacred area.

Taran Zhu is not amused and orders Sunwalker Dezco to evacuate the Horde from Pandaria:Taran Zhu: Tauren! What have your people done! You have dredged open a scar within our sacred Vale!Sunwalker Dezco: Lord Zhu, please understand - the orc "Warchief" who ordered the deed no longer speaks for the whole of the Horde. Many voices are rising up against him.Taran Zhu: Your politics are no concern of mine. Your Horde has disrespected the sanctity of this place. You are no longer welcome here - leave at once!Sunwalker Dezco: Give us time, Lord Zhu. Give us the opportunity to bring Hellscream to justice.Taran Zhu: Sunwalker, I respect your people. You have aided us in our campaign against the Sha and the Thunder King. Otherwise, I would've already ordered the Shado-Pan to purge this entire shrine. But my patience is at an end. The Horde must leave.Taran Zhu stares grimply into the distance.Taran Zhu: Very Well, You have until season's end. No longer.Taran Zhu: We pandaren are no strangers to dealing with tyrants..The coming battle will try your souls. May the celestials guide your actions.

Possible Loot

Many ilvl 476 items were datamined yesterday that are drops from killing elites such as the Kor'kron Motivator. You'll first loot a Latent Kor'kron item, which can then be infused with a Radical Mojo to create a spec-appropriate epic with a rebellion-themed name.

Comments

Comment by DartVader

on 2013-03-31T16:14:53-05:00

How did nobody see the Kor'kron digging up such an amazingly large section of the Vale? I mean I know many of us have been busy with the campaign against Lei Shen but come on... someone had to of seen this to prevent it before it got so large.

Those Golden Lotus guys at the pavilion must have exceptionally poor eyesight.

Just playing devil's advocate here- but maybe they had some kind of cloaking spell hiding the dig for a while or something like that.

Comment by piraka810

on 2013-03-31T18:03:55-05:00

How did nobody see the Kor'kron digging up such an amazingly large section of the Vale? I mean I know many of us have been busy with the campaign against Lei Shen but come on... someone had to of seen this to prevent it before it got so large.

Those Golden Lotus guys at the pavilion must have exceptionally poor eyesight.

Just playing devil's advocate here- but maybe they had some kind of cloaking spell hiding the dig for a while or something like that.

Actually, that would make a lot of sense, Garrosh was sure to know that what he was doing was wrong, and ordered it to be hidden. But eventually, it got too big to cloak and the device malfunctions. This blatant disregard of the respect of the Vale, and demonstration of the Hordes knowledge that this was not ok, would be more than enough to lead Taran Zhu to order the Horde evacuation.

Comment by NobodyYouKnow

on 2013-04-01T08:53:31-05:00

Finally we start to get rid of Garrosh.

Garrosh? More like %^&*osh. ;)

Comment by TehFacroller2000

on 2013-04-01T12:29:26-05:00

HORDE AND PROUD! I am so ready to usurp this tyrant and have vol'jin put in as warchief of the Horde. or better yet we get Thrall back, anyone but Garrosh.

GAMON FOR WARCHIEF.

Comment by bart1609

on 2013-04-01T16:30:24-05:00

can't wait to kill garrosh in 5.4

Comment by skumbananer

on 2013-04-01T23:56:28-05:00

Garrosh is not evil. Parts of the horde are plotting against him, and a Horde with traitors is a weak Horde. He cant just let people rebel, and stand by as the Alliance just would wipe them out.

And for digging up the Vale, well, thats just archeology. "Sacred ground", yeah really sacred Mogu-stuff, its not like the Pandarens themselves treat Mogu relics with silk gloves.

And as for bombing Theramore, he had to do that. Theramore was a massive hub of Alliance activity in Kalimdor.

Comment by Lordplatypus

on 2013-04-02T02:10:55-05:00

Garrosh is not evil. Parts of the horde are plotting against him, and a Horde with traitors is a weak Horde. He cant just let people rebel, and stand by as the Alliance just would wipe them out.

So Orwellian tyranny is ok?

And for digging up the Vale, well, thats just archeology. "Sacred ground", yeah really sacred Mogu-stuff, its not like the Pandarens themselves treat Mogu relics with silk gloves.

It's sacred if the natives say it's sacred

And as for bombing Theramore, he had to do that. Theramore was a massive hub of Alliance activity in Kalimdor.

Just.

Removed

That was total attempted Genocide. Those were the last survivors of lordaeron, a freaking NEUTRAL PARTY.

Comment by Bettargh

on 2013-04-02T03:13:58-05:00

Well in the first place the orcs' shouldn't be in Kalimdor, they should be in their plane killing each other... the bomb should fall in ogrimmar

Comment by Lordplatypus

on 2013-04-02T03:51:03-05:00

Agreed.

Comment by DaggerInTheDark

on 2013-04-02T16:29:09-05:00

And our honorable and beautiful Horde is EVIL?

#1. Orcs - slaughtered the Draenei in outland in cold blood. They have also killed countless humans, night elves and other races for their conquest.

#2. Forsaken - these monsters don't care for anyone and would stab their own mother in the back if they thought it would benefit them. They nuke, poison and destroy everything they come in contact with.

#3. Blood Elves - equivalent of crack addicts with magic. Their beloved Queen is the one that caused the first sundering.

I believe that for the most part the Trolls and Tauren are good. The Goblins are just greedy gold diggers.

But YES I would absolutely say that the Horde not as a whole but as a good majority is evil.

#1. Humans- overzealous fools who would willingly slaughter entire towns of their own people instead of trying to help them, then promptly surrender their souls to the Scourge in a mad lust for power

#2. Night Elves- These blackhearts pretend to be champions of the natural world, but in reality every last one of them wants to throw in with Ragnaros and watch the world burn

#3. Draenai- Epitome of passive aggression. Their two beloved leaders became overlords of the Burning Legion and nearly destroyed Azeroth TWICE plus who knows how many other worlds.

See? I can grossly overgeneralize based on the actions of single traitorous individuals in power too!

Careful on that high and mighty road you self-righteous Alliance pukes, it could collapse under the shear weight of your egos at any minute.

Comment by skumbananer

on 2013-04-02T16:29:18-05:00

The Horde needs a strong hand and direction. Garrosh cant just let the Trolls just go around and plot and scheme, the Forsaken do their thing without supervision (then we have a new Wrathgate) etc etc. It is desperate times, that calls for desperate measures, something Thrall never had the guts to do.

Removed

That was total attempted Genocide. Those were the last survivors of lordaeron, a freaking NEUTRAL PARTY.

Neutral as in being the base of operations for the Alliance in Kalimdor? Neutral as in constantly threatening the Horde population of Brackenwall Village? No, far from neutral. theramore needed to be dealt with, bombing them instead of laying a massive prolonged siege on the town probably saved lots of Horde lives.

Comment by SpectrusLegend

on 2013-04-02T17:11:45-05:00

GAMON FOR WARCHIEF!

Comment by Lordplatypus

on 2013-04-02T23:15:30-05:00

Neutral as in being the base of operations for the Alliance in Kalimdor? Neutral as in constantly threatening the Horde population of Brackenwall Village? No, far from neutral. theramore needed to be dealt with, bombing them instead of laying a massive prolonged siege on the town probably saved lots of Horde lives.

That was Daelin, you know, the one jaina sided against?Freaking horde fanboys. I'm just rearing to pay off the goblins into setting all the munitions in orgrimmar off, throw a few radiation bombs in to make sure, and watching them die painfully.

The Horde halted the Alliance colonization of Pandaria,

In soviet pandaria maybe, but in reality, the Alliance halted horde invasion of Pandaria.

helped stop the Sha

For wholm the blame originates upon them

Thunder King,

They didn't even have a presence there, Lor'Themar went without Garrosh or the horde knowing what's going on.

the Yuangol

Who weren't even that major a threat when compared with the real dangers of pandaria, they also Escalated the Jinyu-Hozen conflict, forcing the Jinyu to militarization or death, Destroyed Anduin's ship, starting the entire Pandaren conflict in the first place, decided to go on wanton looting of anything they felt like.

The Horde needs a strong hand and direction. Garrosh cant just let the Trolls just go around and plot and scheme, the Forsaken do their thing without supervision (then we have a new Wrathgate) etc etc. It is desperate times, that calls for desperate measures, something Thrall never had the guts to do.

Using foreign threats to excuse Tyranny is standard amongst most every single dictatorship, The Germans to the Allies, the Iranians to the US and Israel, the North Koreans towards South korea and the US. is it such a suprise that this would reflect on the creation of a fictional dictatorship by people who base their knowledge on such things on these?

Comment by Rankkor

on 2013-04-03T02:20:22-05:00

That was total attempted Genocide. Those were the last survivors of lordaeron, a freaking NEUTRAL PARTY.

How many times do I have to keep repeating myself before you stop saying this nonsense?

A: Those last survivors of lordaeron that you whine so much about are still alive, because as much as you try to deny it, as much as it hurts for you to admit it, as much as you hate it because it ruins your reason to complain: The horde warned the city LONG before the attack began, and EVERY civilian left the city. Every single one of them. So your precious last survivors of lordaeron are still very much alive. STOP BRINGING THAT UP.

And secondly.

B: Theramoore stopped being neutral a long time ago. From that place the alliance mobilized in cataclysm against durotar, Honor Point, Taurajo, and Barrens, staging multiple attacks against horde bases and horde villages, with plenty of military and civilian casualties. This is no longer Daelin Proudmoore we're talking about here, we're talking about current, modern day theramoore, serving as a hub, and invasion point from which the alliance launched simultaneous attacks against 3 horde zones. So "neutral party" my ass.

Ohh and I find it cute that you blame solely the horde for the outbreak of sha in pandaria, somehow implying that your precious alliance had NOTHING to do about that.

Which is wrong BTW. Both sides are equally responsible for wakening the sha in pandaria.

Comment by Lordplatypus

on 2013-04-03T02:56:09-05:00

It's this problem

What was the root of the war in pandaria?Why was it discovered?

A horde warship attacked a alliance vessel carrying anduin wrynn. This causes special ops forces from the alliance to be sent over while the horde mounts various invasion forces.

that horde warship was the sole cause of the pandaria conflict, hence the roots of the war, lay within the horde

A: Those last survivors of lordaeron that you whine so much about are still alive, because as much as you try to deny it, as much as it hurts for you to admit it, as much as you hate it because it ruins your reason to complain: The horde warned the city LONG before the attack began, and EVERY civilian left the city. Every single one of them. So your precious last survivors of lordaeron are still very much alive. STOP BRINGING THAT UP.

Did you even removed read my post? Garrosh was attempting genocide on them, i already call it ATTEMPTED don't i?

B: Theramoore stopped being neutral a long time ago. From that place the alliance mobilized in cataclysm against durotar, Honor Point, Taurajo, and Barrens, staging multiple attacks against horde bases and horde villages, with plenty of military and civilian casualties. This is no longer Daelin Proudmoore we're talking about here, we're talking about current, modern day theramoore, serving as a hub, and invasion point from which the alliance launched simultaneous attacks against 3 horde zones. So "neutral party" my ass.

It is neutral removed. Your definition of neutral seems to include sunreavers, who are blatantly a pro-horde force and permiated with horde loyalists, yet does not include a completely neutral faction like theramoore?

Theramoore simply stepped aside and let the alliance use it's docks.

Would you consider swizterland neutral during world war II despite their stepping aside and letting american bombers through during the majority of the war but gunning down german ones?

Comment by Exxu

on 2013-04-03T10:10:22-05:00

I approve of this.

Comment by Adamsm

on 2013-04-03T10:20:03-05:00

that horde warship was the sole cause of the pandaria conflict, hence the roots of the war, lay within the horde

Yeah...and then the Alliance trains the Jinyu to fight against the Horde trained Hozen, waking up the Sha: Both groups are responsible.

Comment by Bluecatcxl

Secondly, as a loyal member of the Horde for life, consider, EVERYONE in the Horde knew that Garrosh was a *!@#$%. It was inevitable that he would fail. We already saw how a mad rush for power ruined the Alliance, creating a power hungry tyrant. Thank you Arthas for that one. And thank you Thrall for wussing out and running off with your girlfriend to leave us in the hands of a monster. More than anyone I blame you, Thrall... where we honored and sang praises in your name, we now mutter curses.

Finally, back to my first comment... no offense to Pandas in the horde, but living in isolation has totally messed you up. Taran Zhu, that means you. We have already proven that we (the Horde) can kick your trash with authority... in um... your own house. We have already proven that in spite of xenophobia and doubt on your side that we can (and will) grind rep with your faction twice in one expansion. We have already proven that we can roflstomp any challenge that comes at us, and now you're going to spit in our faces? Learn to recognize things for what they are for once. OBVIOUSLY 'G-man' is out of control. We are handling this internally. You want to help? Stay out of the way. Seriously... we have killed Gods and men. Don't put yourself on our radar.

FOR THE HORDE!

sincerely,

Detrio, of the Undercity

Comment by Adamsm

on 2013-04-03T11:32:37-05:00

Finally, back to my first comment... no offense to Pandas in the horde, but living in isolation has totally messed you up. Taran Zhu, that means you. We have already proven that we (the Horde) can kick your trash with authority... in um... your own house. We have already proven that in spite of xenophobia and doubt on your side that we can (and will) grind rep with your faction twice in one expansion. We have already proven that we can roflstomp any challenge that comes at us, and now you're going to spit in our faces? Learn to recognize things for what they are for once. OBVIOUSLY 'G-man' is out of control. We are handling this internally. You want to help? Stay out of the way. Seriously... we have killed Gods and men. Don't put yourself on our radar.

Yeah? And remember without Taran Zhu, the Horde commander would have succumbed to the Sha infestation and the forces would have been wiped out in the first moments of landing on Pandaria, same as with the Alliance. The Horde and Alliance maybe strong, but the Shado-Pan are the clean up crew of Pandaria, which means if some people have to mysteriously vanish in the night, you can bet they have a hand in it.

Comment by Rankkor

on 2013-04-03T15:12:12-05:00

It's this problem

What was the root of the war in pandaria?Why was it discovered?

A horde warship attacked a alliance vessel carrying anduin wrynn. This causes special ops forces from the alliance to be sent over while the horde mounts various invasion forces.

that horde warship was the sole cause of the pandaria conflict, hence the roots of the war, lay within the horde

Nope, that was the reason pandaria was discovered. By sheer dumb luck and accident. Naval battle between the alliance and the horde (you can't tell who attacked who, and its irrelevant anyways, both sides are at war, both met in the ocean, and a battle ensued)

The actual reason the Sha awoke in pandaria, was due to the MASSIVE amount of negative emotions that BOTH SIDES brought with them to Pandaria. Its irrelevant if these negative emotions are justified or not, they brought them. Look at Admiral Rogers, in everything she says, her words drip with pure hatred to the horde. Now, I know what you'll say, that she has every right to feel that way for what the horde did to her, but that's irrelevant, the point is, She's angry, and her anger contributed to the outbreak of the sha.

Neither side can claim innocence in this, both of them brought all their violence, all their hate, and all their negative emotions to pandarian and that is why the sha awoke. One alliance officer was so infected with sha that he kidnapped an entire pandaren village, men women and children, and used them as slaves to build an airbase. There was also a horde officer who, also overcome with sha, kidnapped children as hostages as well. Both sides are equally responsible for what happened in pandaria. From the alliance giving weapons and training to the Jyinu to perpetuate their war with the hozen, to the horde, training the hozen and also giving them weapons to further their war with the fish people.

A: Those last survivors of lordaeron that you whine so much about are still alive, because as much as you try to deny it, as much as it hurts for you to admit it, as much as you hate it because it ruins your reason to complain: The horde warned the city LONG before the attack began, and EVERY civilian left the city. Every single one of them. So your precious last survivors of lordaeron are still very much alive. STOP BRINGING THAT UP.

Did you even godamn read my post? Garrosh was attempting genocide on them, i already call it ATTEMPTED don't i?

If it didn't happened, it doesn't count. How many times has the alliance attempted to genocide an entire horde town?

It is neutral and only a slavering horde fanboy would think overwise

Is the namecalling really necesary? are you incapable of having a civil discussion just once? /frown.

B: Theramoore stopped being neutral a long time ago. From that place the alliance mobilized in cataclysm against durotar, Honor Point, Taurajo, and Barrens, staging multiple attacks against horde bases and horde villages, with plenty of military and civilian casualties. This is no longer Daelin Proudmoore we're talking about here, we're talking about current, modern day theramoore, serving as a hub, and invasion point from which the alliance launched simultaneous attacks against 3 horde zones. So "neutral party" my ass.

Your definition of neutral seems to include sunreavers, who are blatantly a pro-horde force and permiated with horde loyalists

It has horde sympatizers, but they were still neutral, and part of the kirin tor. At no point in WOTLK or Cata did they actually aided the horde against the alliance, just because they wanted to act as ambassadors and representatives of the horde in dalaran, doesn't make them part of the horde. When push comes to shove, they are not bound by the authority of the warchief, or even that of the Regent Lord Lor'themar, which is why you never see their troops aiding in the war against the alliance.

Lor'themar in several ocassions attempted to convince Aethas to commit troops to aid silvermoon, and Aethas refused, because the sunreavers, while pro-horde, and sympathizers with them, are still NEUTRAL.

yet does not include a completely neutral faction like theramoore?

Theramoore simply stepped aside and let the alliance use it's docks.

Wrong. The troops that attacked Honor point? wearing theramoore tabards. Troops in Northwatch hold? Wearing teramoore tabards. Troops in south barrens? Wearing theramoore tabards. Troops in durotar? part of them wear stormwind tabards, and the rest wear theramoore tabards. Dude, they stopped being neutral, during all of cataclysm, theramoore aided the alliance in mobilizing their forces and gave troops and resources to attack multiple horde bases, and villages.

Would you consider swizterland neutral during world war II despite their stepping aside and letting american bombers through during the majority of the war but gunning down german ones?

If they stepped aside to let US bombers pass, and then gunned german ones, then by no stretch of imagination were they neutral. They clearly chose a side in that war.